diff --git a/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
index bba983b6c..543981170 100644
--- a/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class PlantingsController < ApplicationController
       format.json { render json: @plantings }
       format.rss { render :layout => false } #index.rss.builder
       format.csv do
-        specifics = (@owner ? "#{@owner.name}-" : @crop ? "#{@crop.name}-" : nil)
+        specifics = (@owner ? "#{@owner.login_name}-" : @crop ? "#{@crop.name}-" : nil)
         @filename = "Growstuff-#{specifics}Plantings-#{Time.zone.now.to_s(:number)}.csv"
         render :csv => @plantings
       end
diff --git a/app/views/gardens/show.html.haml b/app/views/gardens/show.html.haml
index 526074e4a..0900eac40 100644
--- a/app/views/gardens/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/gardens/show.html.haml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 .row
   .col-md-9
-
     - if can? :edit, @garden or can? :delete, @garden
       %p.btn-group
         - if can? :edit, @garden
@@ -28,36 +27,46 @@
     %div
       :growstuff_markdown
         #{strip_tags @garden.description}
+      - unless @garden.description
+        .row-fluid
+          %p No description available yet.
+
+          - if can? :edit, @garden
+            %p 
+              Why not 
+              = link_to 'tell us more.', edit_garden_path(@garden)
 
     - if @garden.photos.size > 0 or (can? :edit, @garden and can? :create, Photo)
-      .row
-        %h2 Photos
-
-        %ul.thumbnails
-          - @garden.photos.each do |p|
-            .col-md-2.six-across
-              = render :partial => 'photos/thumbnail', :locals => { :photo => p }
+      .row-fluid
+        %h3 Photos
+        %p= pluralize(@garden.photos.length, "photo")
+        .row-fluid
+          %ul.thumbnails
+            - @garden.photos.each do |p|
+              .col-md-2.six-across
+                = render :partial => 'photos/thumbnail', :locals => { :photo => p }
+        .row-fluid
           - if can? :create, Photo and can? :edit, @garden
-            .col-md-2
-              .thumbnail(style='height: 220px')
-                %p{:style => 'text-align: center; padding-top: 50px'}
-                  = link_to "Add photo", new_photo_path(:type => "garden", :id => @garden.id), :class => 'btn btn-primary'
+            %p
+              = link_to "Add photo", new_photo_path(:type => "garden", :id => @garden.id), :class => 'btn btn-primary'
 
-    %h3 What's planted here?
-    - if @garden.plantings.current.size > 0
-      .row
+    .row-fluid
+      %h3 What's planted here?
+      - if @garden.plantings.current.size > 0
         - @garden.plantings.current.each.with_index do |planting_current, index_current|
           = render partial: "plantings/thumbnail", locals: {:planting => planting_current}
-    - else
-      %p
-        Nothing is currently planted here.
+      - else
+        %p
+          Nothing is currently planted here.
 
-    %h3 Previously planted in this garden
-    - if @garden.plantings.finished.size > 0
-      .row
+    .row-fluid
+      %h3 Previously planted in this garden
+      - if @garden.plantings.finished.size > 0
         - @garden.plantings.finished.each.with_index do |planting_finished|
           = render partial: "plantings/thumbnail", locals: {:planting => planting_finished}
-      
+      - else
+        %p
+          Nothing has been planted here.
   .col-md-3
     %h4 About this garden
     %p
diff --git a/app/views/members/_gardens.html.haml b/app/views/members/_gardens.html.haml
index ddee17d3a..7733e298d 100644
--- a/app/views/members/_gardens.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/members/_gardens.html.haml
@@ -7,31 +7,42 @@
         - first_garden = false
         = link_to g.name, "#garden#{g.id}", 'data-toggle' => 'tab'
     - if current_member == member
-      %li= link_to 'New Garden', new_garden_path
-  .tab-content
+      %li.navbar-right 
+        = link_to new_garden_path, class: 'btn' do
+          Add New Garden
+  .tab-content{style: "padding-top: 1em"}
     - first_garden = true
     - member.gardens.each do |g|
 
       %div{:class => ['tab-pane', first_garden ? 'active' : ''], :id => "garden#{g.id}"}
         - first_garden = false
 
-        %div
+        .container
           :growstuff_markdown
             #{ strip_tags g.description }
+          - unless g.description
+            .row
+              %p No description available yet.
+
+              - if can? :edit, g
+                %p 
+                  Why not 
+                  = link_to 'tell us more.', edit_garden_path(g)
+
 
           - if g.photos.size > 0 or (can? :edit, g and can? :create, Photo)
             .row
-              %h2 Photos
-
-              %ul.thumbnails
-                - g.photos.each do |p|
-                  .col-md-2.six-across
-                    = render :partial => 'photos/thumbnail', :locals => { :photo => p }
-                - if can? :create, Photo and can? :edit, g
-                  .col-md-2
-                    .thumbnail(style='height: 220px')
-                      %p{:style => 'text-align: center; padding-top: 50px'}
-                        = link_to "Add photo", new_photo_path(:type => "garden", :id => g.id), :class => 'btn btn-primary'
+              %h3 Photos
+              %p= pluralize(g.photos.length, "photo")
+              .row
+                %ul.thumbnails
+                  - g.photos.each do |p|
+                    .col-md-2.six-across
+                      = render :partial => 'photos/thumbnail', :locals => { :photo => p }
+              .row
+              - if can? :create, Photo and can? :edit, g
+                %p
+                  = link_to "Add photo", new_photo_path(:type => "garden", :id => g.id), :class => 'btn btn-primary'
 
         %h3 What's planted here?
         .row
diff --git a/app/views/members/_image_with_popover.html.haml b/app/views/members/_image_with_popover.html.haml
deleted file mode 100644
index 965ac4f47..000000000
--- a/app/views/members/_image_with_popover.html.haml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-= link_to |
-  image_tag( |
-      avatar_uri(member, 150), |
-        :alt => member.login_name, |
-        :class => 'img-responsive member-image' |
-  ), |
-  member, |
-  :rel => "popover", |
-  'data-trigger' => 'hover', |
-  'data-title' => member.login_name, |
-  'data-content' => "#{ render :partial => 'members/popover', :locals => { :member => member } }", |
-  'data-html' => true
diff --git a/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml b/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml
deleted file mode 100644
index 24122c560..000000000
--- a/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-%small
-  %p
-    - if member.location
-      %i
-        = member.location
-  %p
-    Joined
-    = distance_of_time_in_words(member.created_at, Time.zone.now)
-    ago.
-  %p
-    = pluralize(member.gardens.size, "garden")
-    %br/
-    = pluralize(member.plantings.size, "planting")
-    %br/
-    = pluralize(member.seeds.size, "seed")
diff --git a/app/views/members/_thumbnail.html.haml b/app/views/members/_thumbnail.html.haml
index 5f0f9c58d..a55c34e50 100644
--- a/app/views/members/_thumbnail.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/members/_thumbnail.html.haml
@@ -1,16 +1,24 @@
 - cache member do
   .member-thumbnail.panel
     %div
-      = render :partial => "members/image_with_popover", :locals => { :member => member }
+      = render :partial => "members/avatar", :locals => { :member => member }
     %div
-      %p
+      %p.login-name
         = link_to member.login_name, member
-        - if ! member.location.blank?
+        - if !member.location.blank?
           %small
             %br/
             %i= member.location
-        - if ! member.plantings.empty?
+        - if !member.plantings.empty?
           %small
             %br/
             Recently planted:
             != member.plantings.first(3).map{|p| link_to p.crop_name, p }.join(", ")
+      %p
+        %small
+          Joined
+          = distance_of_time_in_words(member.created_at, Time.zone.now)
+          ago.
+      %p
+        %small
+          = [pluralize(member.gardens.size, "garden"), pluralize(member.plantings.size, "planting"), pluralize(member.seeds.size, "seed")].join(", ")
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_markdown_help.html.haml b/app/views/shared/_markdown_help.html.haml
index 41aaa1a31..28505a083 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_markdown_help.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/_markdown_help.html.haml
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ to format your text.
 For instance, *italic*, **bold**, or a link [like this](http://to.some.site.com/).
 %br/
 Quick crop links: [sweet potato](crop).
+%br/
+Quick member links: @Username or [Username](member).
diff --git a/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown.rb b/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown.rb
index dba081e44..6711461e0 100644
--- a/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown.rb
+++ b/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ require 'bluecloth'
 
 module Haml::Filters
   module GrowstuffMarkdown
-    CROP_REGEX = /\[([^\[\]]+?)\]\(crop\)/
+    CROP_REGEX = /(?<!\\)\[([^\[\]]+?)\]\(crop\)/
+    MEMBER_REGEX = /(?<!\\)\[([^\[\]]+?)\]\(member\)/
+    MEMBER_AT_REGEX = /(?<!\\)(\@\w+)/
+    MEMBER_ESCAPE_AT_REGEX = /(?<!\\)\\(?=\@\w+)/
     include Haml::Filters::Base
 
     def render(text)
@@ -20,6 +23,34 @@ module Haml::Filters
         end
       end
 
+      # turn [jane](member) into [jane](http://growstuff.org/members/jane)
+      expanded = expanded.gsub(MEMBER_REGEX) do |m|
+        member_str = $1
+        # find member case-insensitively
+        member = Member.where('lower(login_name) = ?', member_str.downcase).first
+        if member
+          url = Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.member_url(member, :only_path => true)
+          "[#{member_str}](#{url})"
+        else
+          member_str
+        end
+      end
+
+      # turn @jane into [@jane](http://growstuff.org/members/jane)
+      expanded = expanded.gsub(MEMBER_AT_REGEX) do |m|
+        member_str = $1
+        # find member case-insensitively
+        member = Member.where('lower(login_name) = ?', member_str[1..-1].downcase).first
+        if member
+          url = Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.member_url(member, :only_path => true)
+          "[#{member_str}](#{url})"
+        else
+          member_str
+        end
+      end
+
+      expanded = expanded.gsub(MEMBER_ESCAPE_AT_REGEX, "")
+
       return BlueCloth.new(expanded).to_html
 
     end
diff --git a/spec/features/members_list_spec.rb b/spec/features/members_list_spec.rb
index 073572795..a7857bafd 100644
--- a/spec/features/members_list_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/members_list_spec.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ feature "members list" do
       expect(page).to have_css "#sort"
       expect(page).to have_selector "form"
       click_button('Show')
-      all_links = page.all("#maincontainer p")
+      all_links = page.all("#maincontainer p.login-name")
       expect(all_links.first).to have_text member1.login_name
       expect(all_links.last).to have_text member2.login_name
     end
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ feature "members list" do
       expect(page).to have_selector "form"
       select("recently", :from => 'sort')
       click_button('Show')
-      all_links = page.all("#maincontainer p")
+      all_links = page.all("#maincontainer p.login-name")
       expect(all_links.first).to have_text member3.login_name
       expect(all_links.last).to have_text member1.login_name
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown_spec.rb b/spec/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown_spec.rb
index 8abe8aee4..979b3f305 100644
--- a/spec/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/haml/filters/growstuff_markdown_spec.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,20 @@ def output_link(crop, name=nil)
   end
 end
 
+def input_member_link(name)
+  return "[#{name}](member)"
+end
+
+def output_member_link(member, name=nil)
+  url = Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.member_url(member, :only_path => true)
+  if name
+    return "<a href=\"#{url}\">#{name}</a>"
+  else
+    return "<a href=\"#{url}\">#{member.login_name}</a>"
+  end
+end
+
+
 describe 'Haml::Filters::Growstuff_Markdown' do
    it 'is registered as the handler for :growstuff_markdown' do
      Haml::Filters::defined['growstuff_markdown'].should ==
@@ -32,6 +46,12 @@ describe 'Haml::Filters::Growstuff_Markdown' do
     rendered.should match /not a crop/
   end
 
+  it "doesn't convert escaped crop links" do
+    @crop = FactoryGirl.create(:crop)
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render( "\\" << input_link(@crop.name))
+    rendered.should match /\[#{@crop.name}\]\(crop\)/
+  end
+
   it "handles multiple crop links" do
     tomato = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
     maize = FactoryGirl.create(:maize)
@@ -60,4 +80,47 @@ describe 'Haml::Filters::Growstuff_Markdown' do
     rendered.should match "<a href=\"http://example.com\">test</a>"
   end
 
+  it 'converts quick member links' do
+    @member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render(input_member_link(@member.login_name))
+    rendered.should match /#{output_member_link(@member)}/
+  end
+
+  it "doesn't convert nonexistent members" do
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render(input_member_link("not a member"))
+    rendered.should match /not a member/
+  end
+
+  it "doesn't convert escaped members" do
+    @member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render("\\" << input_member_link(@member.login_name))
+    rendered.should match /\[#{@member.login_name}\]\(member\)/
+  end
+
+
+  it 'converts @ member links' do
+    @member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render("Hey @#{@member.login_name}! What's up")
+    rendered.should match /#{output_member_link(@member, "@#{@member.login_name}")}/
+  end
+
+  it "doesn't convert invalid @ members" do
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render("@not-a-member")
+    rendered.should match /@not-a-member/
+  end
+
+  it "doesn't convert nonexistent @ members" do
+    @member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    @member_name = @member.login_name
+    @member.destroy
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render("Hey @#{@member_name}")
+    rendered.should match /Hey @#{@member_name}/
+  end
+
+  it "doesn't convert escaped @ members" do
+    @member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    rendered = Haml::Filters::GrowstuffMarkdown.render("Hey \\@#{@member.login_name}! What's up")
+    rendered.should match /Hey @#{@member.login_name}!/
+  end
+
 end